Monday, October 3, 2011

Just before everyone sat down for dinner Saturday night, I snuck in a few shots of the dining room in Asti, all aglow with candle light.

While not exactly my best table setting, its simplicity was appropriate for an evening with Mr. A's wine connoisseur group.

Simple white plates, French stripe napkins and a burlap runner with rosemary topiaries and confit pots formed the centerpiece.

And of course, candles.

We hosted four couples for the night, all who brought vintage wines from their cellar.

The theme was "Alexander Valley," since that is where Asti is located.

As we enjoyed a delicious meal of Burgundy tri-tip steak, heirloom tomatoes fresh from our garden with pecorino cheese and pinenuts, wild rice and broccoli rabe, I was thinking about how just 24 hours earlier, Mr. A and I were chasing a mouse around the room!

A door had been blown open from the strong wind several days earlier, so when we arrived the night before, we had creatures! A bird was flying around the kitchen! Then, the mouse. We even found a lizard! It was hysterical.

Actually, it was a disaster! After we got the critters out of the house, we discovered the refrigerator wasn't working. Apparently, the water line that feeds the ice maker had been leaking for weeks and took out the electricity on the wall behind the refrigerator. We had to throw everything away. Luckily, with an extension cord, we were able to plug it back in at another outlet.

By the time our guests arrived Saturday, everything was back to normal.

The simplicity makes the table all the more beautiful. Perfect for the occasion. I'm sure none of your guest would have guessed your house looked like a scene out of the Jumanji movie just hours earlier.

Your tablescape is simplicity at it's best, and your menu sounds delish! Even if you hadn't of rounded up the critters, I bet your guests would have had a good time anyway with such fabulous surroundings.May I ask how big your table is? I'm hosting a dinner party at the end of the month and am torn between inviting 3 couples vs. 4... I can seat 8 with not problem, 10 might be stretching it, as I want to make sure each guest has room to comfortably dine.

You should feel great, because it looks just beautiful! You are a trooper to have dealt with all you did and manage to put together such a beautiful table and delicious sounding meal! Its all fabulous (minus the mouse)

Oh my, you sure had quite a welcome!!!! But you sure made it all beautiful and the dinner sounds delicious!!! We have a dinner group too and we all love getting together like this. Have a great week, Delores! XO, Pinky

as a previous comment said, thank goodness no snakes.. or a skunk.. I'm so sorry, but i do have to laugh and then quickly am amazed at how quickly you pulled it together so that your guests could enjoy their evening. Lovely table.. drooling over the napkins. xo marlis

Too funny. Not that a damaged fridge and electrical system are but the critters running around the house are seriously funny. I think I have seen a movie about a mouse in residence. It didn't end well. Amazing how burlap can look so elegant in the right setting.

Hi D, I am not laughing at you, but with you. I can only imagine. What is the saying timing is everything and those critters had horrible timing. I can tell we are going to have an enjoyable talk with great stories to tell!! xo KathysuePS your table setting is perfection. Simple elegance and the golden glow of candlelight with the ochre confits and rosemary is stunning!!!

Ha, what a funny story...I feel like I come home to a house full of critters everyday!! Besides the kitty cat I have two children...nuff said..Anyway, love the table with the rosemary and the menu sounds delish. Thanks for sharing.

Ahh, I love this! Simple and organic. I love your confits...and the Rosemary topiaries! If you had a big block of cheese on there the mouse would have joined you! LOL..I'm sure it's kind of funny now, but I bet you weren't laughing about it when it all happened! Lucky you came and found all this before the night of your dinner! I'm visualizing a bird fluttering about your kitchen! Looks like it all turned out great!

This is a very nice table setting, ESPECIALLY given the wild prelude! I would have been freaking out in 1,000 different ways. Not a big fan of mice or birds or lizards! Glad your dinner went off without a hitch, though! The rosemary topiaries are pretty cool. I like the mix of the large one with the "babies" scattered about. Great collection of pots, too!!!